Portable causeway.



G. G. STEELMAN & W. H. FENTONi PORTABLE OAUSEWAY.

APPLICATION FILED JULY a0, 1913.

Patented June 2, 1914.

W/Zhesse COLUMBIA PLANOCIRAPH Cc. WABHKNOTON, D. C.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES G. STEELMAN AND WILBEBT I-I. FENTON, 0F 'VINELAND, NEW JERSEY.

PORTABLE CAUSEWAY.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 2, 1914.

Application filed July 30, 1913. Serial No. 782,021.

To all whom it may concern Be itknown that we, CHARLES G. STEEL- MAN and \VILBERT l-I. FnNToN, citizens of the United States, residing at Vineland, in the county of Cumberland and State of New Jersey, have invented a new and useful Portable Causeway, of which the following is a specification.

Our invention relates to a portable causeway which is intended to be laid across or along icy or slippery sidewalks, over icy or slippery doorsteps or porch steps, or on an icy or slippery path, or an icy or slippery incline, for the safe passage of pedestrians; or to be laid across pools of water, muddy or slushy places, sandy or miry places in the roadways, over which automobiles or other vehicles may pass.

The object of the invention is to provide a useful device of the above character, which is strong and durable, light and conveniently carried, flexible and adjustable to fit over door steps or uneven surfaces, tenacious and cohesive, to adhere firmly to slippery places, portable and easily taken up and rolled into a compact bundle, convenient for storage in a small space.

The invention may be manufactured at an extremely low cost, is of great utility, extremely durable and highly eflicient in practical operation.

We attain this object by the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which,

Figure 1 is a side view of a section of the portable causeway showing the method of coupling the cross poles; Fig. 2 is a cross section view, showing a single cross pole, wit-h pegs or sharp pointed brads underneath.

Similar letters refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

A. represents the cross poles, which are made of tough hard wood (oak or hickory) B are pegs made of tough hard wood (oak or hickory), attached to the under side of the cross pole and held in place by a screw bolt C and nut D. The cross poles are coupled together by wood screws with eye heads E, a screw bolt and nut lI-I through the eyes of the wood screws forming a joint.

The causeway is made in sections of any length desired by placing the poles parallel with each other and attaching the poles to each other by the loose joint coupling described in the preceding paragraph, thus forming a strong, durable causeway flexible and adjustable to fit snugly over door steps or uneven surfaces.

The pegs B or the sharp pointed brads, prevent the causeway from slipping when laid on ice, sleet, snow, slush or mud, thus forming a causeway firm and fixed as the pegs sink into the snow, slush or mud, or the sharp pointed brads sink into the ice, sleet or wood, when the causeway is stopped upon by a person, hence a safe foot hold is provided for pedestrians.

\Vhile we have shown and described the preferable form of the invention and specifically pointed out the manner in which the same is constructed, it will be obvious that minor modifications relative to the form, proportions and details of construction are contemplated without necessarily departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the ad vantages thereof.

TVs are aware that prior to our invention permanent and fixed causeways have been built in sections of roadways over swamp and bogs. We therefore do not claim such a combination broadly; but

We claim:

1. The combination in a port-able causeway, a new and useful device adapted to be laid upon walk ways and roadways, said device comprising and consisting of hard wood cross poles laid parallel to each other and attached to and connected with each other by loose joint couplings, substantially as described.

2. The combination in a portable causeway, a new and useful device, adapted to be laid upon walkways and roadways, said device comprising and consisting of hard wood cross poles laid parallel to each other and attached to and connected with each other by loose joint couplings, the said cross poles having attached thereto on the underside holding devices to prevent sliding on slippery places substantially as described.

In testimony whereof we have hereunto subscribed our names in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

CHARLES Gr. STEELMAN. l/VILBERT H. FENTON.

Witnesses:

EDWIN F. MILLER, PEARL B. CRAIG.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

